December 6th, 2004 - Tokyo - Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (Ajinomoto, President & CEO : Kunio Egashira, Headquarter : Tokyo, Japan) announced today that it is investing JPY 6 billion (US$ 58 million) to expand its aspartame manufacturing plants in Yokkaichi, Japan and Gravelines, France, in order to meet growing demand from food and beverage manufacturers for aspartame, an amino acid based sweetener.
A series of expansions at the two locations, beginning early in 2005 and to be completed by March 2006, will result in Ajinomoto's global capacity reaching 10,000MT per year. The increased capacity will enable Ajinomoto, currently the market leader in aspartame manufacturing to supply more than half of the rapidly growing aspartame market.
"Rising concerns about overweight and obesity have significantly increased consumer demand for good tasting, low calorie foods and beverages," said Egashira, President & CEO, at Ajinomoto. "And recent market data shows that the increasing demand for products containing aspartame, such as low calorie soft drinks, is a world wide phenomenon, extending beyond the United States and Europe, even to many developing countries," Egashira added.
Aspartame is the only low calorie sweetener whichsweetener that is made from two kinds of amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine). Ajinomoto has a unique set of skills and experience in the production of amino acids that enables the company to be a formidable competitor in this sector. Ajinomoto regards aspartame as one of its core strategic products based on amino acids and is committed to promoting the sweetener over the long term.